


Dream or Delusion

by godaime_obito



Series: Kakaobi event 2019 [6]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst, KakaObi Week 2019, M/M, matching scars soulmate au, uhh this is the start of a bad end au lol
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-07
Updated: 2019-02-07
Packaged: 2019-10-23 16:12:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,558
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17686754
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/godaime_obito/pseuds/godaime_obito
Summary: kakaobi week day 6: soulmatesObito's always been a dreamer. In the cave daydreaming of his soulmate is what keeps him going.





	Dream or Delusion

Obito’s always been a dreamer. Since he first found out what the hokage was he’s spent hours and hours of his life just imagining it. Being inaugurated to the sound of a cheering crowd, his clansmen all there, and even the clan head himself comes up to tell Obito how proud he is, that he always knew he could do it. When he learned about soulmates he started imagining that too. He’s not sure what they’re like, but he knows they’re perfect and it will be romantic, and, and… Well, he’s not sure, but it’ll be great.

Rin feels the same way about soulmates. Part of what makes them such perfect best friends is how much they have in common. They’re both hopeless romantics, both a bit too cheery, both stubborn, and they both get angry pretty easy, even if Rin’s way better at hiding it. Obito knows it would be easy to love Rin. He might already be love with her if it weren’t for their soulmates. The only way to tell who is your soulmate is by getting a scar. What if he gets a scar or Rin does, and the other doesn’t share it the way a soulmate would? He couldn’t handle the heartbreak, even though she really is the best, and it would be so easy to love her.

Soulmates and becoming hokage have drifted a bit from the forefront of his mind, since waking up in this cave. But, with Madara gone off somewhere deeper in the cave and Zetsu busy, Obito can finally think. He doesn’t have a mirror or anything to look at himself in, but he’s felt along his scars, especially on his face, and there’s one that doesn’t fit. A scar that cuts down over his empty left eye, right where Kakashi was hurt the last time Obito saw him. He’s certain none of the rocks hit him there, that it isn’t his scar, and the thought that his soulmate has been Kakashi all along has been buzzing around his head since he realized.

A new dream for him to imagine. To get him through being stuck here in this dark, awful, cave. He’s going to get out of this cave, and he’s going to get back to Konoha. When he reaches the gate, they’re waiting for him. Minato-sensei, Kushina-neechan, Rin, and Kakashi. Kakshi has a scar down his left eye, and Obito’s scar all over his right side. And it’s romantic, and it’s perfect, and the clan isn’t even upset he gave his eye away, because he gave it to his soulmate. It’s great. Everything will be great when he gets out, which he will. After all, Madara said he could leave when he was better.

Drip. Drip. He’s trying to picture it, but there’s water somewhere in this cave. He hadn’t noticed at first, but now that it’s quiet the sound is glaring. He wants it to stop, to get out of here, to never here another drip. If he ever hears a leaking faucet when he gets back he may go insane.

Fortunately, or maybe unfortunately, Obito doesn’t have long to contemplate the dripping sound before Guruguru returns from wherever he’s been. Suddenly, there’s word on Rin and Kakashi, and he’s out of the cave. He leaves his new hand behind and runs, his teammates need him, _he_ needs his teammates. He’s not sure how he manages to run so far so fast even encased in Guruguru, but Rin and Kakashi come into sight soon.

It’s not soon enough. What is happening? Why? Why would Kakashi? Obito should have left that cave sooner, he should’ve been faster. He should make these Kiri nin pay. He loses it a bit. That may be an understatement. He doesn’t really remember what happens next, or killing the shinobi. But he doesn’t care. It doesn’t matter. What matters anymore?

Drip. Drip. Blood is still falling somewhere nearby from the Kiri nin. There’s so much blood already on the ground he’s surprised to hear there’s still more to fall. Obito doesn’t want to lay Rin down in it, but he can’t hold her forever. Kakashi is already laying in it. The blood has flowed around and under him where he lays facedown. Obito’s indifference breaks, and he’s angry, furious like he’s never been before, and Kakashi was the one to put his hand through Rin. But…Kakashi still might be his soulmate, _maybe_ there’s a reason, maybe everything isn’t lost.

Obito walks with Rin in his arms until there’s finally no more blood under his feet, and then puts here down gently. He positions her with care, and then slowly turns back to look at Kakashi. He walks toward him with trepidation, and every step feels like he’s walking on the bottom of the sea. Miles of water pressing down on him. He doesn’t know what outcome would be better anymore: Kakashi not having his scars, or having them. Obito kneels down by him, and flips him over with the same gentleness he just showed Rin.

It’s the same. The scar down his left eye, the swirling scars all over his right side. Obito pulls down his mask to be certain, and his bottom lip is bisected in the same place he can feel a scar cutting through his own lip. The blood is still dripping, the cave is still dripping, and Madara is waiting for him there. Kakashi is his soulmate, and Rin is dead. He killed her, but Obito can’t let go of him. Can’t let go of his soulmate. Madara’s talk of a perfect world echoes through his head, resounding besides the dripping. It’s not too late. He’ll pick up Kakashi, and he’ll take him back to Madara, and the three of them can create a better world together. Then Rin, Minato-sensei, and Kushina-neechan can great the two of them when they finally come home. And everything will be great.

* * *

Kakashi wakes up in an unfamiliar place. He can already tell this isn’t the hospital or Konoha at all. He does his best to listen and deduce what’s going on before anyone realizes he’s awake. It’s cold and quiet. He’s lying on a cot. Something is dripping in the distance, and closer than that someone is breathing. At this point he doesn’t have much to lose by just peaking a little with his uncovered eye to try and see who they are.

“Obito!” he yells, jerking up, all intent to remain silent abandoned at the sight of his teammates battered face. “Where have you been? Where are we now?” he asks.

Disconcertingly Obito just seems to stare at him in reply, as if he’s considering what to say or how much to admit. Kakashi had hoped at times, staring at Obito’s name at the memorial stone, that maybe all the scars on his right were from the rocks, were Obito’s. For that to be true, for the scars to be his, for them to be soulmates, he’d have to still be alive, and it had seemed impossible. A distant dream. But despite the unpleasant scenery, despite everything else, this _must_ be Obito.

“Obito?”

“What happened Kakashi? Why?”

“Obito, I,” Kakashi stutters. Oh god, he must have seen. Rin, she’s dead, and he let her down, let Obito down. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. The sanbi, it was, it was in her. She, just, jumped in front of me. I didn’t mean to. I swear I would never. I…”

“Stop,” Obito cuts off his rambling attempt at an apology, an explanation. The blank look he’s giving Kakashi doesn’t shift. “It’s okay. It’s not your fault Kakashi,” he adds. Obito’s expression finally gentles, and he reaches his hand to Kakashi’s uncovered face, where he must have pulled down his mask while he was still asleep. He traces over their scars tenderly.

“It…isn’t?”

“All this time I’ve been here they’ve been telling me how worthless this world is, how much better we can do. I understand now that they’re right. I love you. You’re my soulmate, and I know we wouldn’t do that to Rin. This world killed her.”

Kakashi isn’t sure who ‘they’ is. His relief at being forgiven by Obito and the joy at his proclamation of love battle in his mind with his confusion at what’s going on and his worry. He wants to say something, do something, leave, but he doesn’t want to ever look away from Obito again. So instead he just stares silently and reaches his hand up to Obito’s face, mirroring the tender caressing of their scars.

Obito smiles at him, and if it wasn’t for something unsettling deep in his eye it would look just like his grins from before. “Kakashi won’t you stay with me? Won’t you reach for the perfect world together with me?” he pleads softly. He finally removes his hand from the scars, and steps back, extending both hands towards Kakashi in offering.

He isn’t sure what’s happening, what the perfect world is, or how Obito wants to reach it, but… A perfect world seems nice, after the day, week, year, _life_ , Kakashi’s been having. Besides, he’s never leaving Obito behind again. “Of course,” he agrees. He grasps Obito’s hands, and he pulls him up off the cot and towards the darkened end of the cave, towards their future.


End file.
